What are the motifs in Casting the Runes, and Other Ghost Stories by M. R. James?

Religion is a dominant motif in several of the stories in M.R. James' collection, Casting the Runes and other Ghost Stories. The protagonists of the stories frequently come across mysterious objects or visit mysterious places with a religious history. Many of the short stories take place in a church, cathedral, rectory, or other religious place or house of worship. The use of religious icons and imagery in the stories serves to stress the differences between good and evil, implying that the supernatural beings that appear are demons or servants of the devil.